Metal container



March 26 1929. D. w. THOMAS METAL' CONTAINER Filed Jan '7. 1926 Qlarged4 fragmentary sectional view illus- Patented Mar. 26', 1929i.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID THOMAS, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NILES STEEL PROD- UCTS COMPANY, 0F NILES, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METAL CONTAINER.

Application led January This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in metal containers such as are used for the shipment of paints and otherliquid or semi-liquid materials, and has -for its main object the provision of a container which is strong and durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and which has a removable cover which can be easily applied and fastened in position so as to make a leakproof joint and can be readily and quickly removed.y

The invention pertains to a container having a cover which is designed to be fastened or locked in position by bending inwardly beneath a bead or shoulder provided at the'top of the container, a plurality of locking lugs or tongues, and it is a feature of the present invention that the container provided near the top with an outstanding rib, preferably projecting beyond the body of the container as Wellv as beyond the bead under which the lugs of the cover are designed to be bent, this rib not only serving to strengthen the top portion of the container, but as a'protector for the lugs both during shipment before the container is filled and therefore before the lugs are bent inwardly, as well as after it is filled and the lugs have been bent to their inal or locking position. Additionally it serves as a fulcrum for a suitable tool to pry the inwardly bent ends of the lugs outwardly for the removal of the cover, and by reason of the fact that there is provided what may betermed a reduced neck portion above the rib, of less diameter than the body portion, there is permitted a nesting of the containers for convenience in shipment. v

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details of construction which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claim. v

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Fig. 1,-is a side elevation of a container embodying my invention with the upper portion in section; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the upper portion of the container, the maj or part being in elevation; Fig. 3 is a slightly entrating by dotted lines how the containers lmay be nested in the manner referred to above and also how a cover releasing tool can be fulcrumed on the rib of the containerv to bend the lugs outwardly.

7, 1926. Serial No. 79,735.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the body of the container, 11 the bottom and 12 the cover, these parts being formed of sheet metal, and t-hc container being preferably annular in shape.

The body of the container is provided near the top with a groove 13, and above the groove with an outstanding rib 14, preferably V- shaped in section, and above the rib the top portion is extended'inwardly and provided at the extreme top with an annular bead 15.

The cover 12 is provided with a depressed portion which lits with a close but sliding lit inside the beaded top of the container, and its marginal portion is in the form of a channel 16 which is designed to lit down around the outside of the bead 15, the outer wall of the channel being formed with a plurality of locking lugs 17.

In the channel is a gasket 118, which is designed to be tightly compressed between the channel portion of the cover and the bead so as to make a leak-proof joint. The cover is ada` ted to be secured in place by a suitable app ying tool which lfirst presses the cover tightly downward so as to compress the gasket 18, and then bends the lugs 17 inwardly beneath the bead 15.

Containers having covers locked inposition by-the method herein illustrated, have not been satisfactory in all respects, especially on accountof the liability of the lugs catching .on projecting objects and being pulled outward, this being true not only while-the containers are being shipped or handled, before the covers are sealed, but also after the containers are filled and the covers locked in place by the inward bending-of the lugs.

This objection is substantially overcome by the present invention by the provision of the outstanding rib 14 just beneath the bead, for by reason of the fact that it projects outwardly, not only beyond the .body of the container, but materially beyond the bead, it serves as a protector for the lugs.

It is to be notedthat the bead is inset beyond the upright side of the body, and that the over-all or outside diameter of the cover is less than that of the body, this construction not only adding to the efiiciency of the rib 14 in its lug protectingV function, but it admits of the nesting of the containers one on top of the other, as indicated in Fig. 3, the bottom 11 of the container being preferably inset or depressed so as to provide a marginal Hangelike portion which will fit over the cover;y of the container beneath.

The rib 14 not only serves to strengthen the top portion of the container and as a protector for the lugs of the cover, but it reduces the liability of the cover otherwise being loosi ened or damaged by blows, and what is equally important, it serves Ias a continuous or annular fulcrum extending all about the top portion of the container against which a tool, indicated at 19 in Fig. 3, can be applied and 4fulcrumed to bend the locking lugs outwardly improvedfeatnres `of construction, including the provision of the rib 14 and the neckingin `of the top .portion which is provided with the iittedover said bead, locking lugs extending from said marginal portion and bent beneath said bead, thefree ends of said lugsproject` ing outwardly from said body portion, and an outstanding wedge-shaped annular'shoulder projecting from said body portion below the free ends of said lugs and adapted to serve as a fnlcrnln `:tor bending the free ends of said lugs away from ,the body portion in detaching said-cover.

In testimonyjvhereof, I hereunto aflix my signature. i DAVID W. THOMAS.

Y a detachable cover having amarginal portion 

